Paperboard carton



March 1, 1955 E. L. ARN ESON PAPERBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 13, 1950 6 INVENTOR.

Eda/(12 lm/zeaom BY United States Patent PAPERBOARD CARTON Edwin L. Arneson, Morris, Ill., assignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 13, 1950, Serial No. 184,553

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-41) The present invention relates to improvements in a simple, inexpensive paperboard carton having an improved automatic set-up crash fold bottom feature enabling the same to be readily and quickly erected and locked in article receiving condition, strongly resistant to accidental collapse. The carton is particularly well adapted for the use of florists in packaging corsages, bouquets, and the like.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a paperboard carton characterized by a bottom and pairs of side and end walls disposed at right angles to one another, in which the structure which defines the end walls of the carrier is associated with the bottom and with the side walls in an improved manner to facilitate erection thereof and to strongly brace the carton in its set-up condition.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple, automatic set-up type of carton, in which an improved end wall and flap structure is associated with the opposed front and rear side walls, including a double thickness, full Width end wall having a flap which is partially adhered by a foldable gusset to the carton bottom and which is hinged to one of the side Walls in a manner to engage as a strut across the and margin of the erected carton, exerting retaining or looking action on the end wall as a whole by this strut effect, as well as by frictional Wedging engagement with the opposite side wall.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the device.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of illustration and it will be appreciated that the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally Within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the carton, partially broken away and in section, illustrating the latter in its operative, erected condition, with the improved wall bracing parts at the end thereof in bracing and locking relation to the carton bottom and ends;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the paperboard blank from which the carton is constructed;

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, fragmentary plan views, partially broken away, showing successive steps in the manipulation of the blank of Fig. 2 in completing the carton, Fig. 4 illustrating the carton in completed, knockdown condition; and

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse vertical section along a line corresponding approximately to line 55 of Fig. 1, further showing the strut-like bracing relation of certain end wall flaps to the bottom side and end walls thereof.

The invention is illustrated in an adaptation to a simple, inexpensive florists carton for packaging corsages, bouquets, etc. However, its principles are also well adapted for application to other types of cartons in which an automatic set up, firmly braced, crash fold construction is desired.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the carton is constructed from the flat paperboard blank illustrated therein. This blank comprises an outer or front side wall panel 11 of elongated rectangular shape extending along one lateral edge of the blank, which wall panel is hingedly articulated to a rectangular, half Width, bottom forming panel 12 by means of a crease 13 paralleling its outer FCe margin. Rectangular inner end wall members 15 are hingedly connected to the respective opposite ends of the wall panel 11 and bottom forming panel 12 by means of creases 16; and extensions of the crease 13, designated 13, define like end wall bracing flaps 17 in the material of the respective wall members 15. A 45 degree crease 18, extending outwardly from the juncture of creases 13' and 16, subdivides each of the flaps to define a triangular glue receiving and gusset forming area 19 at the inner, upper corner thereof.

A second half width, bottom forming panel 20, identical in size and shape to the panel 12, is foldably connected thereto by a longitudinally extending crease 21, which is thus disposed centrally of the two panel bottom. The panel 20 is in turn hingedly connected to an inner or rear wall panel 22 by means of a crease 23 paralleling crease 21. Bottom forming panels 12 and 20 are disposed in outwardly and downwardly folded relation about medial crease 21 in its completed, folded but knockeddown condition illustrated in Fig. 4, being in flush faceto-face engagement with one another.

Rear wall panel 22 is identical in size and shape to the front wall panel 11, its upper margin being defined by the longitudinal crease 24 which hingedly connects a cover panel 25 to the wall. Cover panel 25 has a tuck flap 26 foldably connected thereto by crease 27.

An outer end wall member 28 is hingedly connected to each of the opposite ends of the wall panel 22 by means of an end marginal crease 29, and each of these Wall members is subdivided into two similar panels 30, 31 of equal width by means of a medial vertical crease 32. The over-all width of Wall member 28 equals that of Wall member 15 and also that of the two panel bottom 12, 20.

The upper portion of the wall member 28 is separated from the remainder of the blank by a short slit 33, which is an extension of crease 29, to produce a flap 34 which is foldable relative to the remainder of the Wall member 28 about an extenstion 24 of crease 24. Flaps 34 are adapted to be folded inwardly of the upper margins of the end walls 28 of the completed carton, in parallel relation to its bottom and immediately underlying the cover panel 25, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In assembling the carton from the blank 10, adhesive is first applied to the triangular glue flap 19 of the flap 17 of each of the inner end wall forming members 15, as indicated by stippling in Fig. 2. Members 15 are then folded inwardly and downwardly (see Fig. 3), causmg the glued gusset areas 19 to adhere to the adjacent areas of the bottom forming panel 12. Immediately after or coincident with this folding operation, the inner panels 31 of the outer end wall forming members 28 are folded inwardly and downwardly onto rear wall panel 22 and theouter, hingedly articulated panels 30 are then folded reversely or outwardly, bringing them in face-toface engagement withv panels 31. This leaves the blank in the condition shown in Fig. 3.

Adhesive is next applied to the exposed outer surface of the respective panels 30, beneath the flap defining crease 24 thereof, as indicated by stippling in" Fig. 3. The front wall panel 11 and associated bottom forming panel 12, together with the inner end wall members 15, are next folded inwardly and downwardly about the medial bottom crease 21, causing the glued area of panel 30 to adhere to the wall forming member 15 is a corresponding area of the latter located outwardly of the crease 13'. On the opposite side of this crease the flap 17 is free to move relative to the bottom and the end wall.

The carton is shown in completed knock-down condition in Fig. 4. The respective non-subdivided inner end wall forming members 15 lie immediately inwardly of the front wall panel 11 and conjoined bottom forming panel 12 in parallel relation thereto. Outer end wall flaps 30, 31 are disposed in that order immediately to the rear of the members 15, in a collapsed side-by-side relation, flap 30 being adhered to the hinged side of end member 15. Rear wall panel 22 lies immediately to the rear of the hinged panel 31, with its attached cover 25 and tuck flap extending outwardly. The completed carton is shipped and stored in this flat knock-down condition.

*In erecting the carton,=-it is only necessary to exert up- ..wardforceonthernedial.bottomcrease21 tQbringpaneIs 12, to fiat condition, while urging or guiding the full width end wall forming panels 15 outwardly in opposite directionsabout their hinge.cr.eases.16. The membersIS while hinging about its 45 degree crease 18. Thus the t crease 13 which foldably connects the flap 17 to member .'.15,ultimately engages. across and braces the inner bottom .margin of'the dual panel, outer end wall member-.28 when "the end and side walls are completely spread to fiat con- ,dition. Since the width of the member '15 and its flap 117. equals thatofithe two-panel .cartonbottom 12,20, .the free edges thereof have frictional slidingengagement with "the adjacent surface Of'the'inner wall member'22 in moving outwardly into position,-f,thus, resisting return. or inwardrmovementof theiparts. Thus the panel 15, is held 'stronglyintits outwardly extended position, even when (the flap,17 is not held down bythe contents of the carton. The '45, degree crease 18, actsas a backbone against which compression of the flap 17 is sustained. This strut-like action of the flap 17,, arising from its integral connection to the bottom by adhered gusset 19, when coupled with ,,the aforementioned frictional resistance to displacement, inherently resists inward collapse,'and holds the outer end wall panels'-30, 31 in a laterally stretched, substantially coplanar relation.

The resultant carton is very inexpensive, maintains a stable condition on a supporting surface, so that a number of the cartons may be set up prior to filling. Cover is engaged inwardly of the front wall 11 by means of the tuck flap 26 when the carton has been filled, and is stably supported and sealed at its ends by the inturnedflaps 34.

What I claim is:

1. A paperboard carton comprising opposed side walls, abottom integrally hinged to and extending between, said qwalls, said bottom being subdivided by a medial crease into similar panels, and a self bracing end wall structure at each end of the carton, comprising a first end wall member integrally hinged by afirst vertical crease to one side ,wall and-medially creased to subdivide the same into panels, a second fiat uncreased end wall member integrally hinged by a second vertical crease to the other side wall, said last named member being adhesively secured to a panel of the. first end wall member, a bracing flap integrally connected to the bottom of said second end-wall member by a crease which parallels and outwardly abuts and braces its bottom margin when the carton is erected, and a glue element integrally connected to said flap by a crease extending from a junction of the flap-connecting crease'with said second vertical crease, said glue element underlying said flap in said erected condition and being adhesively secured to a bottom panel to sustain in the plane of the bottomthe bracing action of said flapon the --end wall structure.

-2. A carton asset forth-in claim 1, in which said second end wall member and flap are of width equal to the space between said side walls and have frictional engagement with the latter in said erected condition.

3. -A' collapsible-paperboard carton comprising a pair of opposed'side walls. a medially hinged bottom wall integrallyzconnected'at its side margins to said side Walls,

,andan'endwall structure foldably connected to corresponding ends of said side walls, said structure compris- .ing; an inner; end wall panel integrally hinged by a vertical vcrease to the, end margin of one side wall, which panel is substantially equal inwidth to the space between said side walls and extends therebetween when the carton is erected, an outer end wall forming member integrally hinged by a to-face relation toasaid bottom wall and .therebycxerting a strut-like action on said outer end wall member, said flap having a gusset hinged thereto by a diagonal crease extendinggfrom. a junction of saidfiap-hinging crease with said first named vertical crease, said gusset being disposed'inunderlying relation to said flap in flat face-to-face engagement with and between the same and said bottom wall in the area of the gusset between said diagonal crease and said flap-hinging crease, and means securing said gusset to said bottom wall, whereby .said gusset acts as an abutment for said strut-like action.

4. A collapsible paperboard carton comprisinga pair of, opposed side walls, a medially hinged bottom wall integrally connected at its side. margins to said side walls, and an end wall structure foldably connected to corresponding ends of said side walls, said structure comprising. an inner end wall panel integrally hinged by a vertical crease to the end margin of one side wall, which panel is substantially equal in width to the space between said side walls and extends therebetween when thecarton is verected,.an outerend wall forming member integrally hinged by a second vertical crease to the end margin of the other side wall and extending between the walls in erected condition, said last named member being subdivided by a third, medially extending vertical crease and being adhered to the inner end Wall panel in the subdivided part thereof remote from its hinge to said other side wall, said inner panel being provided with an end wall bracing flap integrally hinged to the bottom margin thereof by a crease which engages across the outer end wall member at the bottom thereof when the carton is erected, with said bracing flap disposed in face-to-face relation to saidbottom wall and thereby exerting a strut-like action on said outer end wall member, said flap having a gusset hinged thereto by a diagonal crease extending from a junction of said flap-hinging crease with said first named vertical crease, said gusset being disposed in underlying relation to said flap in fiat face-to-face engagement with and between the same and said bottom wall in the area of the gusset between said diagonal crease and said flaphinging crease, and means securing said gusset to said bottom wall in an area of the latter between said second and third vertical creases, whereby said gusset acts as an abutment for said strut-like action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 723,830 Claxton Mar. 31, 1903 1,228,063 Scudder May 29, 1917 1,373,292 Blandford Mar. 29, 1921 1,597,251 Shill Aug. 24, 1926 1,991,347 Fairchild Feb..12, 1935 2,270,343 Ringler Jan.'20, 1942 2,316,919 Waters Apr.i20, 1943 2,430,755 Bergstein Nov. 11, 1947 2,593,773 Levkotf Apr; 22, 1952 2,634,900 Levkofi Apr. 14, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 42,307 Denmark May 26, 1930 

